Rotary engine.



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ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILE D DEC. 21, 1907 921 ,478. Patented May 11, 1909.

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Patented May 11, 1909.

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OLOF STAFF, OF LOTHROP, MONTANA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed December 21, 1907. Serial No. 407,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLOF STAFF, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Lothrop, Missoula county, Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rotary engines and its object is to provide improvements in the arrangement of parts and general operation of this type of engines, and with this general object in view my invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an outside view in side elevation, the bearing and pulley bespectively, a side and edge view of one of the pistons and its connecting rod or pitinan.

Figs. 9 and 10 show, respectively, a section and a top plan view of one of the bulkheads. Fig. 11 is an end view of one of the bulk heads.

Throughout the several views 2 represents a casing the inner face of which forms a circle cross section. The casing is formed with an inwardly projecting flange 4 at one side and a disk 5 is secured to the opposite side by means of bolts 5 which pass through disk and casing and clamp same together. The disk is of annular form and projects like the flange 4 and forms substantially a counterpart thereof. Between the two flanges a channel or steam space is formed into which is closely fitted the rim. of a pistonwheel 2. Between the parallel walls of the stea1n-space referred to, or between flanges 4 and 6 and the wheel 2 rings of packing 8 and 9 are inserted. As shown, this packing is held in suitable recesses made in thewheel, but any other suitable method may be employed for making a steam tight joint between the flanges of the casing and the wheel.

In the periphery of the piston-wheel 2 is a channel 10 which, together with the inner face 8 of the casing, forms an annular steamspace. rectangular in cross section. This steam-space is divided by two diametrically opposed bulkheads 11 and 12 into two steamspaces 13 and 14 each of which is at one end provided with an inlet port and at the opposite end with an exhaust port. The steam inlet-port for the space 13 is immediately above the bulkhead 11 and the exhaust port for the same steam-space is similarly situated above the bulkhead 12, while below the latter and the bulkhead 11 are located the inlet and exhaust ports for the steam-space 14, all of which is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 located in the respective steam-spaces and ports 15, 16, 17 and 18.

The bulkheads 11 and 12 are movably fitted into radial openings 19 and 20 which extend through opposite sides of the casing which is thickened or bossed at these points in order to give the openings sufficient depth and wall support for the bulkheads. The sides of the bulkheads are made as steanitight as necessary in their openings by any suitable form of packing and fit closely against the periphery of the wheel 2. The bulkheads are held against the piston wheel by means of long set-screws 21 and 22 which have threaded engagements with screw threaded holes through the covers, the latter holes being extended by means of bosses on the covers, as shown. The covers 23 and 24 are secured to the thickened portions of the casing by means of cap or machine screws 25.

The construction of the two bulkheads is shown in Figs. 9 toll where the bulkhead 11 is illustrated in detail. The inner end of the bulkhead, or the face thereof which contacts with the piston-wheel, is shown with slots 26 and Y 27 formed therein, in which slots are seated packing disks 28 and 29. In the rear of these packing disks are rectangular openings through which flat spring pressed followers and 31 are movable against the packing disks. The springs which bear against the followers are in the form ofa pair of horns 32 and 33 which project from a hub 84 loosely mounted on each of the follower set screws 21 and 22, as shown.

The wheel 2 is keyed to a shaft which may be mounted in any approved manner as on bearings 36 and 37. The ends of the shaft are in Fig. 4 shown provided with the usual belt pulley 38 and fly wheel 39.

Radially arranged in the wheel 2 are-three pistons 40, 41 and 42 which are closely fitted, and move, in radial slots 43, 44 and 45, respectively, whose inner ends merge into,

. smaller wheel.

In order to pass the bulkheads the pistons must be momentarily retracted within the outer circle of the wheel and the method for doing this, which is the same: for each of the pistons, is shown in connection with the piston 40, which is pivotally connected with a pitman 49 having a forked portion 50 which embraces a tongue, or reduced portion, 51 on the piston. The fork and tongue are pivoted together at 52. On the opposite end of the piston is an eye 53 which is engaged by a crank 54 on the inner end of a shaft or rod 55 mounted in bearings 56 and 57 secured to the side of the wheel 2. On the opposite, or outer, end of the shaft 55 is formed or attached a second crank 54. On its crank-pin is mounted a roller 58 which moves in a channel or groove 59 formed in the inner periphery of a ring 60,. which ring is adjustahly secured to the casing by means of bolts. 61 which pass through lugs 64 on the casing and engage slots 62 in ears 63 on the ring 60. The slots permit a limited rotation of the ring to properly adjust two identical and oppositely disposed side throws, jogs or turns 65 and 66 of the groove 59 which serve as cam slots to turn the cranks and move the pistons back and forth in passing the abutments. When the roller 58 enters either of the portions 65- and 66 of the path 59 the crank 54 is swung inwardly, or toward the wheel 2, which swings the crank 54 toward the center of the wheel and draws the piston 40 entirely within its opening in the wheel, or into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. The moment the bulkhead 11 is passed (and the same at the opposite bulkhead) the piston is returned into the steam-space by reentry of roller 58 into the plane of the path 59 proper.

The sides of the bulkheads which face the steam-spaces l3 and 14 are preferably made slanting, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, and the configuration of the bulkhead may be made to follow closely the path of the inner end of the piston during its reciprocating move ment while passing a bulkhead. In the end of the piston which contacts with the walls 3, 4 and 6 of the steam-space is a slot in which is seated a packing 67.

A micrometric adjustment is provided for the ring for the purpose of accurately timing. the lateral parts and 66 in the path 59. This: adjustment consists of a pair of oppothe casing 2.

- from one of the lugs 63 on the ring 60.

a branch 87 leads to the chest 74.

sitely disposed set-screws 68 and 69 which have threaded engagement with brackets or lugs 70 and 71 secured to, or formed upon, These screws support opposite sides of an arm 72 which projects laterally After the nuts on the bolts 61 have been loosened the ring maybe rotated or adjusted with exactness by turning the set screws to move longitudinally in either one or the other direction.

Means for reversing the direction of motion of the engine isshown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein provision is made to change the inlet ports 15 and 16 to exhaust ports and to change the exhaust ports into inlet ports. A description of the arrangement of ports at one side of the engine will suiiice for both, since both sides are substantially identical. In the construction referred to the inlet and exhaust port communicates with a steamchest 73 at the right and a similar chest 74 at the left (Figs. 1 and 2). Referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, from the upper end of the steam-chest 73 an inlet pipe 74 leads to the inlet port 15 (Fig. 1) and from the lower end of the steam chest chamber a similar pipe 75 leads to the exhaust port 17. These two ports are controlled by a box-like valve 76, vertical and horizontal sections of which are shown-in. said Figs. 5 and The valve (Figs. 5 and 6) is in the form of box with two sides and ends leaving one side open to an outlet pipe77 which leads from an outlet opening 7 8 in one side of the chest 73. The side of the box 75 which faces the wall 79' of the steam chest 7 3 is also open to the ports 82 and 83- which lead from the chest tothe engines steam-spaces 13 and 14. At the ends of the box-like valve 76 are closers or slides 80 and 81 adapted to cover and uncover the openings 82 and 83 leading, respectively into the pipes 74 and 75. In Fig 6 the slide 80 is shown moved down and leaving the opening 82 uncovered and in communication with the steam-chest space, while the lower slide 81 has uncovered the opening 83 to the space 84 within the valve 76 and to the outlets 77 and 78 to the outer air. By raising the valve 76 so that its covers or slides 81 and 80 are above their respective ports the functions of the outlets will be reversed and the chest will discharge into the pipe 75- instead of the pipe 74 and the latter will serve as an exhaust into the space 84 and thence into the exhaust pipe 77 The steam-chests 73: and 74 are supplied with steam from the boiler (not shown) through a valve-controlled pipe 8-5 from whicha branch 86 leads to the chest 7 3 while The valves 76 in the chests 73 and 74 are raised and lowered by means oi a rod 88 provided for each which is secured tothe valve and passes through a stuffing-box 8'9" the top of the steam chest in each instance. The upper end of the rod 88 is formed with an eye which engages a pin 91. To the right in Fig. 1 the pin engages a slot 92 in an arm 93 se cured to the axial shaft 94 of a hand-lever 95 which is mounted at the base of a quadrant 96 having the usual notches, detent, etc. The extent of movement of the hand-lever determines the size of the openings from the steam-chests, or the degrees of movement of the slides over their respective openings, and hence the volume of steam admitted to and discharged from the engine. The pin 91 on the rod 88 to the left in said figure engages a slot 97 in a bell-crank lever 98 which is pivoted at 99 to a stand or bracket 100 mounted on the steam-chest in the same manner as the base of the quadrant is shown mounted on the chest to the right. The bell crank lever 98 and the hand-lever 95 are connected to move together by means of a connecting rod 101, so that when the valve-rod 88 on the right hand side moves its valve 76 downwardly to open the port 83 into the space 84 and open the space in the chest 7 3 to the port 82 the corresponding rod 88 moves the valve 76 in the chest 74 in the opposite direction with opposite results and leaves the inlets and exhausts indicated by the arrows on Fig. 1 showing the course of the steam. The two outlet pipes 7 7 on the right and left hand sides are preferably connected by a pipe 102 which opens into a pipe 183, whereby a common exhaust into the open air is provided for both sides.

Having described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a wheel, radially movable pistons mounted in said wheel, a steam-space between the peripheries of said wheel and easing through which said pistons are movable, bulk-heads which divide said steamspace into a plurality of steam-spaces, an inlet port and an exhaust port at each of said bulk-heads, and mierometric adjustable means for supporting said pistons in said steam-space or steam-spaces and for automatically retracting and projecting each piston in turn during its transit past said bulk heads.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casin and a piston wheel, of a steam space between said casing and the periphery of said wheel, a series of pistons projecting radially from the periphery of said wheel, bulk-heads dividing said steam-space into a plurality of steam-spaces, an inlet port and an exhaust port for each said spaces, a shaft for each said pistons, a crank at one end of said shaft which is arranged to move the piston. radially, a crank at the opposite end of the shaft for rotating the latter, a ring having a groove in its inner periphery to be engaged by the last mentioned crank, said groove constructed and arranged to support said piston, through said cranks and shaft, against radial movement and to swing said cranks momentarily for the purpose of causing the piston to clear the bulkheads and a micrometric adjustment for said ring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLOF STAFF. Witnesses:

WM. LARSON, C. A. FALSTROM. 

